Getting our desires met by God

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Esther 8:1–10:3 
1 Corinthians 12:27–13:13 
Psalm 37:1-11 
Proverbs 21:23-24

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Psalm 37:4 (NLT) "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I'll never forget one of the graduation gifts I received when I finished high school. A lady at our church gave me a money clip with Psalm 37:4 inscribed on it.

I saw that verse and the object on which it was placed and got a little excited. 

"If I take delight in the LORD, then he will give me my heart's desire which is to get some money in this money clip. I'm about to begin college and need / desire that money and so I'm looking forward to Him meeting that desire."

Let's just be honest here. Not only was I wrong in my understanding of what Psalm 37:4 meant, I was also using the LORD as a means to an end. In my mind and heart, he wasn't the object of my affection, He was simply the way that I could get what I truly wanted - more money to meet my needs and wants.

As I have studied Psalm 37:4, spent untold hours studying God's Word, and learned of how it plays out in 'real life,' I have come to see that Psalm 37:4 means something quite different.

Here's what it means:

1. The Lord is to be delighted in. Relationship with Him is ultimately something that our heart longs for. Salvation is essentially God's invitation to come closer to Him so that we can enjoy Him and satisfy our heart's longing.

2. As we get closer to Him in relationship, our desires change. Gradually, we become less me-centered and more Him-centered. Our desires are purified and we find ourselves desiring what He desires.

3. When we are delighting in (enjoying) our God and our desires (what we want) is more in tune with His desires, then the LORD is free to meet our desires, because they are His desires, too.

If we are not enjoying our God, we may feel slighted when we read the previous three points. We haven't come to satisfy ourselves in Him if we say: "Oh, now I see! It's really His desires that get met, not mine."

However, if we are enjoying our God, our understanding of this verse is beautiful to us. We realize that our wants really are what God wants so when He does what He desires, our desires are met, too.

So, friend, delight yourself in the Lord. Enjoy relationship with Him. As your desires become His desires, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

"But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!" (John 15:7)

A call to prayer

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Nehemiah 7:73b–9:21 
1 Corinthians 9:1-18 
Psalm 33:12-22 
Proverbs 21:11-12

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Psalm 33:12 (CSB) "Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD - the people he has chosen to be his own possession!"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

As I read my Bible this morning and as I select the Verse for Today, I am also cognizant of the news headlines. Some of them are:

"Terror in Charlottesville: What we know about the violent clashes and the car attack that left 1 dead and dozens injured" (CNN)

"Standby to Launch: North Korea warns US could 'meet its tragic doom'" (FoxNews)

"Death to America: Iran votes to increase spending on missiles" (FoxNews)

While these are some of the top headlines today, there are many, many more that remind us that we live in a sin sick country. Racism, injustice, hatred, addiction, fear, and so much more are running rampant.

In fact, our Verse for Today would appear to be a haunting truth if it was posted at the bottom of the screen of any of the major news stories right now.

Why?

Because it does not appear at all that God is our Lord. While there are thousands upon thousands of Christians in America, we are losing the war on morality. As Adrian Rogers used to say, "What used to hide in the back alleys is now paraded down Main Street."

Pray for America, friend. Ask God to do what He must to bring us back to Himself. We have seen some amazing movements of God in this country. There have been times when the power and presence of God were experienced by thousands:

The First Great Awakening, The Second Great Awakening, and The New York City Revival are just a few of the mighty movements of God in our country that you can read about online. 

Pray that God would do it again.

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Living in victory

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 6:12–8:10 
Romans 7:14–8:8 
Psalm 18:1-15 
Proverbs 19:24-25

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 7:12-14 (CSB) "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice. If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people, and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Recently, my family served in a mission project in Denver, Colorado. After our work was done, we headed over the Rocky Mountains into Utah. As we made that trip, it was obvious that there wasn't simply one mountaintop but many of them.

Reading God's Word is like that. Every passage moves us upward like a trip through a mountain range. 

Yet, there are some places in Scripture that are mountain peaks. They would seem to take us a little higher than others.

Second Chronicles 7 and Romans 8 are two very, very high mountain peaks. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:12-14, we read of what God told the Israelites to do when they fell into sin and out of favor with Him. They were to humbly acknowledge their failure, to reach out to God in repentant prayer, to seek God's face and favor once again, and resolutely turn from their sin and sinfulness. At that point, God would renew fellowship with them.

In Romans 8, we read of the Spirit-filled life. We read of the victory that is ours to be had if we will only comply with God's principles of Spirit-filled living.

Rather than go into a major discussion about the Spirit-filled life, I would simply encourage you to spend time at the feet of Jesus today reading and then re-reading Romans 8.

As we have passed the half-way point in our Through the Bible in a Year journey, I hope that you are enjoying this trip through the mountains.

Two activities that impress God

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Kings 14:1–15:24 
Acts 10:1-23 
Psalm 133:1-3 
Proverbs 17:7-8

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Acts 10:2 "He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In Acts 10, a Gentile is being introduced to the readers. Cornelius was a non-Jew who was a leader in Rome's army and resided in Caesarea.

As I was reading this story, verses 2 and 4 caught my attention. In verse 2, our Verse for Today, we see that the author, Luke, as he was led by God's Holy Spirit to write this, noted that Cornelius "was a devout man and feared God." I'd love for God to say that about me! What a wonderful assessment of this man's life.

So, what was he doing? Listen to what Luke says about him:

Acts 10:2 "He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God."

In fact, we read in Acts 10:4 that an angel showed up to speak with Cornelius. Listen to what this heavenly messenger said about him:

Acts 10:4 "...The angel told him, 'Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.'"

So, Luke (led by the Holy Spirit) noted the same two things that the angel did. Both of them noted that Cornelius engaged in two activities that pleased the Lord.

What were they?

Assisting the poor and spending much time in prayer with God.

It is verses like these that make it crystal clear what God values. They tell us precisely what God thinks of certain spiritual disciplines. And even though there is no command here to give to the poor or prayer, there is an invitation to do so.

One more thing: If we are growing in our knowledge of God's Word, the Holy Spirit may bring something to mind as we reflect on these two admirable attributes. In fact, He drew my mind back to Matthew 6 where Jesus tells us how we can lay up treasures in Heaven.

Give to the poor (Matthew 6:2-4)
Pray (Matthew 6:5-6)

So, we see that giving to the poor and praying are not trivial matters. God highly values them. 

Application:
Will you spend time in prayer today? 
Will you look for opportunities to help someone less fortunate than you?

Do God listen to the prayers of unbelievers?

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Samuel 20:1–21:15 
John 9:1-41 
Psalms 113:1–114:8 
Proverbs 15:15-17

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

John 9:31 "We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The verse I have chosen for today may seem like an unusual choice ... especially since it is presented as a truth-claim that isn't true.

Now that I've got your attention ...

As students of the Bible, there is something very important that we must learn. In seminary, it's called hermeneutics. In the real world, it's just the ability to understand the different ways that Scripture is presented (poetry, narrative, apocalyptic, etc.) and how to interpret those various types of literature.

For instance, the book of Proverbs is written as wisdom literature. Along with the wise musings of the writer, it is a compilation of short wisdom nuggets. In this type of literature (genre), we must realize that the truths are presented as general truths, not absolute truths that are true all of the time. It will take wisdom to determine which principle(s) applies. (Just read Proverbs 26:4-5. These verses would clearly contradict each other unless what I have just said is true - that this book of the Bible is filled with general truths and it takes wisdom to know which verse(s) to apply.)

In our verse for today, we understand that it appears not in wisdom literature but in narrative literature. The Gospels are written as stories. So, this type of literature carries it's own set of rules in how it is to be read and interpreted. 

One of the rules of reading the narrative portions of Scripture is that the words are presented the way they were said. But, the truth claims of the one doing the talking are not necessarily true. We must investigate to determine whether the one speaking actually aligns with the rest of Scripture.

For instance, when Jesus speaks, His words are always true. We don't have to worry about determining if what He said is true. It is true and is the standard against which all other truth claims must align.

But, what about the man in John 9:31 who made the truth claim about God not hearing the prayers of sinners? The Bible is without error in that it tells us what the man said. But, is what the man said actually true? Realizing the this is written as narrative, we cannot assume that it is true. We must investigate (at which point we realize that the man's statement was NOT true).

First, we realize that the man wasn't even a believer in Jesus when he made this claim. He wasn't saved until verses 35-38. So, he uttered these words when he was an unbeliever. If we use John 9:31 as a proof-text for saying that God doesn't listen to sinners, then we are appealing to the words of an unbeliever as proof.

Further, we realize that while there are very specific principles that must be complied with if our prayers are to be heard and answered, and while it is true that unbelievers are incapable of complying with some of them, it is also true that our God can do whatever He pleases and sometimes, in His mercy and grace, listens to the prayers of sinners:

God listened to the pagans who threw Jonah overboard:
Jonah 1:14-15 "Therefore they called out to the LORD, 'O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.' So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging."

God listened to the prayer of the sinful tax-collector:
Luke 18:13-14 "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other..."

There are a few others instances in Scripture that I could point out but you get the point. There have been times when God, because He is filled with grace and mercy, has listened to the prayer of sinners.

Now, understands that these instances are the exception to the rule. It is only because of God's grace and mercy that He listens to anyone. And it is only through the blood of Jesus that God can express His love and justice simultaneously by listening to and answering prayers. My point is not who God listens to ... but that we need to be very intentional when reading God's Word. We need to understand what kind of literary style God is using to present His Word to us and then use the necessary literary rules to properly understand what God is saying.

(I may have raised more questions than answers. If you've got some questions, you can e-mail me at mattellis1997@gmail.com and I will gladly provide further elaboration on this topic.)

Obeying God rather than others

DAILY BIBLE READING: 

1 Samuel 15:1–16:23 

John 8:1-20 

Psalm 110:1-7 

Proverbs 15:8-10

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

1 Samuel 15:24 "Saul said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

"He who truly fears God fears no man."

That is, if we have a growing understanding of God's holiness and infinite power, and if we understand that our life is in His hands, and that no one's love for us is even remotely close to how much our Heavenly Father loves us, then when others tell us to do something in conflict with what He desires, we will always obey Him. 

That means that we must spend much time in the Bible as we continue to deepen our understanding of what truth is, what God has typically told His children to do, how it is that He speaks to His children, and so much more.

It means that we will spend time in prayer as we submit ourselves to Him, seeking His guidance, strength, wisdom, and everything else we need to hear and follow Him.

It means that we will consciously yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit's filling (Ephesians 5:18) so that we can live the life God has called us to live.

Obeying God rather than those around us will not always be easy. But, God has given us the resources with which we can do it and receive the blessings of obeying Him.

(To understand "the fear of the Lord" a little better, you can read my blog from a few days ago by clicking here.)

How Jesus-followers exert influence

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Samuel 12:1–13:23 
John 7:1-30 
Psalm 108:1-13 
Proverbs 15:4

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

1 Samuel 12:23 "As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way." 

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The prophet Samuel was a major character in the Old Testament Jewish story. In fact, there may have been none larger than him between Moses and King David.

But, all good things must come to an end. In 1 Samuel 23, the great prophet was giving his farewell to Israel with some instructions and a warning or two.

As he was bringing his speech to a close, he made the people a promise: that he would continually pray for them and would, as long as the Lord was willing, continue to teach them how to live and think in a way that pleased the Lord.

These two activities (prayer & instruction) are the primary tools that any Jesus-following influencer uses to this day. 

Do you want to influence your children? Pray for them and instruct them in God's Word.

Do you want to influence those in your Bible study class? Pray for them and instruct them in God's Word.

Do you want to influence someone in your workplace who needs to grow in their walk with Jesus? Pray for them and instruct them in God's Word.

These are the tools we have been given to influence others. These are the primary tools by which we will make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). We pray and instruct from God's Word.

So, get to it. Spend time in prayer for others today. And then look for ways to share God's truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) with others.

Some reflections on prayer

DAILY BIBLE READING:

1 Samuel 5:1–7:17 
John 6:1-21 
Psalm 106:13-31 
Proverbs 14:32-33

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

1 Samuel 7:9 (CSB) "Then Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The Verse for Today is simple and straightforward. The prophet Samuel sacrificed an animal, he prayed for the Iraelites and God heard his prayer.

Yet, we learn quite a bit more by reading the context. The Ark of the Covenant had been previously held by the Philistines. It eventually came back into the possession of the Israelites.

But, the Israelites' deep desire was for something more. They wanted the Lord. God seemed like a million miles away to them and they wanted to enjoy Him and relish in His blessings again.

So, they went to the prophet Samuel. He told them to get rid of their foreign gods and commit to solely worshiping the one true God in their hearts. He also told them to gather at Mizpah where he would pray for them.

They gathered and a time of worship and cleansing began. Yet, the Philistines heard about the gathering and misunderstood the Israelites' intentions. They jumped to a conclusion and thought that the Israelites were preparing for war. So, the Philistines suited up for a battle, too. An attack on the Israelites seemed imminent.

So, there was an urgency to prayer. The Israelites were unprepared and terrified. They begged Samuel Samuel to pray for them.

1 Samuel 7:8 "The Israelites said to Samuel, 'Don't stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.'"

So, what did Samuel do? He offered a sacrifice, said a prayer, and God answered his prayer.

Now, there's a lot that could be said about that three step process so I'll be brief:

The Sacrifice 
Sacrificing animals was the Old Testament way of showing the severity of sin that required a death, and the substitution of an innocent creation of God on behalf of the guilty. A sacrifice is absolutely necessary if we are to approach God with our petitions and have any chance of being heard. Since Jesus, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed on behalf of all of those who will believe in Him, the first step of Samuel's three-step-process has already been accomplished.

The Prayer
To get things from God, we've got to begin by talking to Him about them in prayer. There are a handful of prayer principles that we must comply with if we are to get anything. But, when we consider what can be gained by praying the way God has told us to pray, why not learn those principles ... and then pray!

The Answer
Prayer enables us to enjoy fellowship with God. As a by-product, we receive from God the things for which we ask. In fact, Jesus said that answers to prayer is a way that we can be filled with joy (John 16:24).

So, depending upon the blood of Jesus to grant you entrance into God's presence, pray. And while praying, make sure you are applying each of the biblical prayer principles so that you can enjoy the fruit of your prayer - fellowship with God and the answer(s) for which you are asking.

One reason leadership is so important

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 21:1–Ruth 1:22 
John 4:4-42 
Psalm 105:1-15 
Proverbs 14:25

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Judges 21:25 "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Our Verse to Today is an important one in the book of Judges. In three other places in this biblical book (17:6; 18:1; 19:1), it says that there were no king. In one of those references (17:6), it says, word-for-word, the same thing as today's verse.

So, the Lord through the writer of Judges wants us to realize that there was no king in Israel and the people, therefore, made up their own rules and did as they pleased.

There is a powerful principle here. We come to realize that leadership is what God has ordained to set the tone for those under their influence. The leaders, by their words and actions, make it clear what is right and wrong. Absent of leadership, people make up their own rules and oftentimes it doesn't go well.

So, what actions must we take as a result of reflecting on this verse? Let me provide two:

1) Pray for your leaders.
Whether it is a national leader, our local officials, your pastor, your parent(s), your boss, or whoever else it might be, pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Pray that they would live and lead righteously.

2) Follow your leaders.
Believing that those in positions of leadership are set there by God, we follow them (Romans 13:1-7). Those in spiritual authority are ultimately responsible for your eternal well-being so obey and submit to them (Hebrews 13:7).

Leadership (as it was intended by God) is what the Lord uses to create an environment that is healthy, moral, and productive for those under their influence. So, pray for them and follow them.

The power of prayer

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 4:1–5:31 
Luke 22:35-53 
Psalm 94:1-23 
Proverbs 14:3-4

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 22:45-46 (CSB) "When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The scene from which our Verse for Today comes is the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss. 

It is late at night and it's been an emotionally taxing day. The disciples are confused and overwhelmed about some of the things Jesus had been saying. He has talked about betrayal, torture, and death. This isn't the way things were supposed to play out ... or so they thought.

So, as Jesus took the disciples into the Garden to pray, they may have attempted to pray but were overcome with grief and weariness ... and fell asleep.

We can't blame them, right? I've had some very bad days in my life and I found it easy to simply head to bed. Slipping off into sleep at least gave me a momentary reprieve from my grief.

But, Jesus would have none of it. He knew that while the disciples wanted to sleep, he knew that there was a greater good. They were about to enter an hour of intense temptation. To get ready for it, they needed to pray. In some way, prayer would strengthen them so that they would be victorious in the imminent temptation.

But, they slept, they were tempted, and they ran like cowards.

There is much to prayer that we don't yet realize. It is not only communion with God, it is also a means by which we are equipped to be victorious over the temptations that come our way.

Do you have a sin(s) that continues to claim victory over you? Are you praying about it? I mean really praying about it? There may be other steps you can/should take in your desire for victory but your plan of action should at least include prayer. In some way, God will use that time with Him to give you what you need to defeat the temptation to sin.

We need to pray!

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 19:1–20:9 
Luke 19:28-48 
Psalm 88:1-18 
Proverbs 13:12-14 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 19:45-46 (CSB) "He went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, and he said 'It is written, my house will be a house or prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Life is lived at breakneck speed in our generation. All of the technology that was intended to make life easier has only increased the pace. A former pastor of mine used to say that there are many folks who have been reduced to roadkill on the information superhighway.

So, with our minds almost constantly pulled in so many different directions, the call to prayer is probably a little more difficult than it has been in previous generations. When we are praying, we are thinking about a multitude of other things that we need to be doing.

In our reading this morning, we came across Luke 19:45-46 where Jesus entered the temple days before He was crucified. He saw all of the chaos of buying and selling taking place. The scene created such a distraction that an attitude of prayer was virtually impossible.

So, He cleaned house! He went ballistic! As He turned over tables and ran non-worshipers out of the temple, He said:

"...'It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'" (Luke 19:46)

They were thieves. But, who were they stealing from? Well, the merchants were probably taking advantage of the convenience they were providing to worshipers so they jacked up the prices for sacrificial animals. They were stealing from worshipers.

But, they were also stealing from God! The Lord had called for the temple to be a place where He met with His people. They called out to Him in prayer and He blessed them there. But, the chaos was robbing God of those prayers.

So, Jesus cleaned house!

Do you know where the temple is now? First Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are now the temple, the place where God's Holy Spirit resides.

Do you know what that means? Our bodies are now the place of prayer! Whatever else happens in our bodies, it should be a place where communion with God is the norm.

However, if you are like me, you realize that far too often, there are distractions. The craziness of our lives create chaos in our minds and hearts. Those things would rob God of the prayers that He desires to hear from us.

So, let me end this post by giving a few ideas for cleaning house:

• Get up early to pray. (I get up around 5AM so that I am not distracted by phone calls, family members, or anything else.)
• Have a paper and pen close by. (If something comes to mind that you need to do, just write it down and then get back to praying.)
• Have a prayer list or prayer cards. (Having a list before you of the things you will pray for can help you stay focused.)
• Play some quiet music in the background. (I listen to www.solopianoradio.com when I am reading God's Word and praying. It quiets my mind.)

The one necessary ingredient of decision-making

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 9:3-10:43
Luke 16:19-17:10
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 13:4

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Joshua 9:14 (HCSB) "Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The story recounted for us in Joshua 9 is intriguing. The Israelites had just conquered Jericho and Ai. Their victories terrified the people in the Promised Land.

So, the people of Gibeon determined to do something. They sent a delegation to Israel. That group of men went to great lengths to make it look like they had been on a very long journey when in reality they were only a few miles from where Israel was camped.

The delegation asked the Israelites to make a pact not to harm them since they "lived so far away" from Israel.

That's where our verse for today comes in:

Joshua 9:14 (HCSB) "Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel."

There were facts outside the knowledge of the Israelites that kept them from making a wise decision. We are led to believe that if they had prayed before making the decision, the Lord could have provided them wisdom (without the necessary knowledge) to come to a right conclusion on the matter.

But, they didn't pray.

And they made a bad decision.

And they suffered the consequences.

Do you pray before you make decisions? There will always be information outside our range of knowledge. How are we to come to a right conclusion without all the facts? We've got to pray and seek the Lord's will.

He won't write out His will and send it down from Heaven. But, after much prayer (and other biblical steps of right decision making), we can proceed with peace and confidence knowing that God will guide us.

(If you want to learn more about how to make decisions God's way, read my book review on "Decision Making By the Book by clicking here.)

One reason why repentance is so important

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Numbers 36:1 - Deuteronomy 1:46
Luke 5:29-6:11
Psalm 66:1-20
Proverbs 11:24-26

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 66:18-19 (CSB) "If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

One of the truths that we believe about God is His omnipresence. That means that He is completely everywhere at all times. The Psalmist acknowledged this attribute of God in Psalm 139:7-12.

In believing this about our God, we also come to some other logical conclusions, one of which is that since God is everywhere, He hears everything that is said. There is no place, even in the deepest, darkest parts of the universe, that someone can whisper a word that God doesn't hear it.

Yet, in our verses for today, we are told that there is a scenario in which we can speak and God won't listen. Notice that it doesn't say that He doesn't hear our prayer - it's just that He's not listening. He hears the words but He's not going to do anything about it.

What would cause Him to ignore our prayers? The awareness of unconfessed sin!

If we desire to have a prayer life in which God hears and answers, one of the stipulations is that we stay "confessed up." When we sin, we run to the cross, fall on our knees, and repent (admit our sin and resolve to not do it again).

I'm definitely a work in progress. I definitely have sin struggles but I also desire to stay "confessed up." As a result, God periodically answers my prayers.

A couple of days ago, my oldest son showed obvious signs of fatigue. Between school, his obligations to the high school band and academic team, his part-time job at Wendy's, and a few other things, he's burning the candle at both ends. Yesterday, before he drove to work, I prayed with him. I asked that if God desired it, that business would be slow and he could come home early. (That rarely ever happens.) He was supposed to work until 10PM but he walked in the door at 8:30PM. When I said, "Zach, this is what we prayed for!", he smiled because he knew that God had answered our prayer.

If you want God to hear and answer your prayers, you don't need to be perfect. If that were the standard, no one would ever receive an answer to prayer. You just need to be pursuing holiness and staying "confessed up."

If you haven't been praying as you ought, why not renew your passion to pray to the God who listens and answers.

Psalm 66:18-19 (CSB) "If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. However, God has listened; he has paid attention to the sound of my prayer."

God is listening. Are you praying?

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Numbers 33:40-35:34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 65:2 (CSB) "All humanity will come to you, the one who hears prayers."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

When we think of prayer, we may tend to think of only our responsibility. We realize that the Bible commands us to pray and we are riddled with guilt because we aren't praying as much as we know we should.

Well, if we only think of our responsibility, the practice of prayer will become lifeless. It will be stripped of it's sense of awe. Ultimately, we will not find it easy to have a powerful prayer life.

But, our verse for today reminds us that all humanity will come to God (in prayer) because He is "the one who hears prayers."

That's beautiful, isn't it? God hears our prayers! He's listening!

In fact, in the book of Revelation, we see something else that is incredible. Through the Apostle John's eyes, we are able to sit in on a Heavenly worship service. Jesus takes the scroll and a worship service erupts!

But, notice what the twenty-four elders are carrying as they participate in the worship service ...

Revelation 5:8 (CSB) "When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints."

Did you get that?! The sweet aroma from the incense in the Heavenly worship service is ... OUR PRAYERS! God places such high value on our prayers that He uses them to create a fragrant aroma in Heaven!

So, do you know what we need to be doing today? Praying! Let's spend time on our knees, talking to "the one who hears prayers."

Singin' in the rain!

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Numbers 24:1-25:18

Luke 2:1-35

Psalm 59:1-17

Proverbs 11:14

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 59:16 "But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Overcoming temptation with prayer

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Numbers 11:24-13:33
Mark 14:22-52
Psalm 52:1-9
Proverbs 11:1-3

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Mark 14:37-38 "Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, 'Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I don't know about you but temptation is alive and well in my life. There are certain things that cry out for my attention and if I indulge (or overindulge) it would be sin. The refrigerator is just one of those enticing voices.

So, how do we develop the spiritual strength to abstain from that which would exploit our areas of weakness? Pray!

Jesus told the disciples to "keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation." Simply put, if we pray, then there will be temptations that will not be victorious over us.

But, we're not talking about 5 minute prayers here. In this same conversation, Jesus asked Peter, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?" So, the kind of prayer that overcomes temptation is lengthy, heartfelt prayer.

How does this work? How does prayer help us to overcome temptation? Let me give you two reasons that come to mind:

1. Prayer enables us to trust in the Lord's strength

If we are living life in our own strength, we will fall. But, if we are keenly aware of our personal weakness and, therefore, rely upon the Lord for our strength, we will find that we have what it takes to say "no" to temptation (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

2. Prayer literally removes tempting situations

In the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus told us to pray: "And lead us not into temptation" (Matthew 6:13). When we look further at this prayer, we realize that Jesus is encouraging us to pray in the morning (we ask for bread in the morning - Matthew 6:11). So, in the morning, we are told to ask the Lord to keep us from situations that would tempt us and cause us to fall. In doing so, God may remove many or all of the things from our day that would have caused us to stumble.


So, pray! Spend time in prayer to the Lord today! Create a prayer list and go through it. Or, open up God's Word and just start praying through the verses in front of you. But, whatever you do, pray! It is possibly the most powerful weapon you have to keep you from temptation!